Author Archives: Kate Coffey

About Kate Coffey

After 30+ years in the investment management industry, I packed in my job in 2013 and started to live my life a little differently. Still needing to support myself, I work on paying contracts for chunks at a time, earning enough to allow me to volunteer overseas for long periods and put my business analysis skills to really good use. This new cadence has afforded me the chance to do ongoing work with spinal cord injured in Nepal, microfinance in Bangladesh, small business coaching in Sri Lanka (twice) and more recently in the Philippines, I feel deeply grateful to be living this life I conjured over a decade ago and to know in my small way, I can influence the betterment of lives. I hope you enjoy this blog as much as I do writing it, telling inspiring tales about the resilience of people.

All good things must come to an end

Posted on May 9, 2023 by Kate Coffey

I am writing this from my beautiful home on Bowen after catching an early ferry yesterday morning from the airport. I never tire of this view and it makes my heart leap each time I see. Spring has sprung in … Continue reading →

Posted in Philippines | Tagged Buenavista Family Inn, Catalyste+, Cooperatives, DTI, LGU Tagudin, Tagudin Samahan ng Magkakalamansi Producers Cooperative | 7 Comments

A blue sky day

Posted on May 4, 2023 by Kate Coffey

Despite needing to finalize a bunch of reports that should have kept me tied to my laptop, I instead opted to check out a calamansi farm and then head to the beach. Oh what a gorgeous day it was! Calamansi … Continue reading →

Posted in Philippines | Tagged Calamansi, Funtasea Resort, Ilocos Sur, Sawak, South China Sea, Tagudin, Tagudin Samahan ng Magkakalamansi Producers Cooperative | 5 Comments

Urban break

Posted on May 3, 2023 by Kate Coffey

Its all happening this week between the fiesta and the homecoming of hundreds of St Augustine School’s alumni from the world over. This meant you couldn’t get a bed for love nor money last weekend in Tagudin. So I chose … Continue reading →

Posted in Philippines | Tagged Calle Brewery Vigan, Empanadas, Ilocos Sur, Longganisa, Poqui Poqui, Vigan | 9 Comments

Fiesta!

Posted on April 27, 2023 by Kate Coffey

Today at 8am to beat the heat, was the official opening of Tagudin’s week-long Agri Trade Fair. Lots of speeches from Mayor Roque Verzosa, Vice Mayor his wife Vangie Verzosa, representatives from Dept of Trade & Industry as well as … Continue reading →

Posted in Philippines | Tagged 2023 Agri Trade Fair, Calamansi, DAR, DTI, Fiesta, Food security, Ilocos Sur, LGU Tagudin | 10 Comments

Here I am, in Tagudin

Posted on April 22, 2023 by Kate Coffey

I am writing this today from Tagudin, Ilocos Sur in the Philippines having arrived just under two weeks ago on a volunteer assignment. Its hot as heck (42C with humidity today) and I am loving the work here. Knowing me … Continue reading →

Posted in Philippines | Tagged Buenavista Family Inn, Catalyste+, Cooperatives, Ilocos Sur, Tagudin, Tagudin Samahan ng Magkakalamansi Producers Cooperative | 13 Comments

Gifts that keep on giving

Posted on June 13, 2019 by Kate Coffey

There are two young girls who live on Bowen Island, who have very kind hearts. Their names are Nalia and Florence and they felt rather privileged to live the life they do on our idyllic isle. They came up with … Continue reading →

Posted in Nepal | Tagged Bowen Island, Dr Claire Weeks, Dr Peter Wing, Dr Prakash Paudel, jorpati, Karuna Nepal, kindness, Nepal, SCI Hostel, SCI Network, SIRC, SpiNepal | Leave a comment

Land at last, tis true!

Posted on April 25, 2019 by Kate Coffey

Today is the 4th Anniversary of the first of two large earthquakes that rocked Nepal in 2015, killing 9,000 people and injuring over 22,000. It left emotional scars that can never be healed. It left thousands homeless, living under tarps … Continue reading →

Posted in Nepal | Tagged Gokarneshwar Municipality, SCI Hostel, SCI Network, Spinal Cord Injury Network Nepal | 3 Comments

Taking it into your own hands

Posted on April 7, 2019 by Kate Coffey

Rishi, Keshav and the wheelchair community in Jorpati, have been pushing for their road to be repaired for over two years now (or maybe it is three years, I can’t remember). Besides being exceedingly dusty during the dry winter months, … Continue reading →

Posted in Nepal | Tagged Article 9 - Accessibility, Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, National Human Rights Commission of Nepal, SCI Network | 2 Comments

Response to Bara District storm

Posted on April 7, 2019 by Kate Coffey

As SIRC celebrates its 17th Anniversary, one of their more experienced nurses – Bishnu Ghimire – has travelled to the Bara District in southern Nepal. He is there to assist with the government’s disaster response to a devastating storm that … Continue reading →

Posted in Nepal | Tagged bara, SIRC, SpiNepal | Leave a comment

School year is coming to an end

Posted on April 1, 2019 by Kate Coffey

Many thanks to Keshav Thapa for providing me with the latest news of the SCI Hostel in Jorpati. As Program Coordinator of the SCI Hostel, Keshav is kept busy ensuring there is enough funding to not only house, clothe and … Continue reading →

Posted in Nepal | Tagged education, Holi, jorpati, Kathmandu, land donation, local government, Nepal Spinal Cord Injury Sports Association, SCI awareness, SCI Network, SpiNepal | Leave a comment